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World’s oldest light bulb still burning bright after 110 years

Scientists aren't sure how or why, but a single bulb hanging in a Livermore, California, fire station has been burning bright for almost 110 years.

Tomorrow, June 18th, marks the 110th anniversary of the bulb's first flicker of light. Installed in 1901, the light is putting "long-lasting" bulbs everywhere to shame.

The hand-blown bulb is recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest burning light bulb.

"Nobody knows how it's possible. It is a 60-watt bulb and it's only turned on for about four watts, but nobody knows why it keeps burning. We've had scientists from all over the country look at this light bulb," Lynn Owen of the Centennial Light Bulb Committee says.

TIME NewsFeed reports that the bulb, which was designed by Edison competitor Adolphe Chaillet, "endured some initial glitches in 1901, a fraught week in 1937 and some random power outages all the way up to 1970s." Since then, however, the bulb has remained on.

A "BulbCam" captures the bulb every 10 seconds, you can watch it here.

The light bulb has become a tourist draw for Livermore. The Centennial Light Bulb Committee is throwing a neighbourhood party in its honour this Saturday.